


Christmas Candles

by lichtenstrange



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Christmas, Kid!Cas, M/M, Time Jump, kid!Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 18:48:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lichtenstrange/pseuds/lichtenstrange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel sees a boy sitting in front of a bush with candles at Christmas. He sits with him and learns the candle story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Candles

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a lovely blue plate my grandma has on the kitchen wall.

The boy was there again, sitting in front of the dark bush at the edge of the forest. He approached the boy quietly from behind, his curiousity getting the better of him. Over the past few days, Castiel had seen him sitting at this bush, lighting three candles and sitting them in holders on a branch each. As he moved closer, he spoke up softly trying not to startle the person in front of him.

“Hello?” The sitting figure turned when he heard the soft mutter, green eyes catching the curious blue ones. Castiel stood, watching and waiting for the other boy to speak. “I’m Castiel. Who are you?”

“What are you doing?” Castiel pointed to the three lit candles balancing on the branches. “I’ve seen you sitting here with them the past few days. How come?” he tilted his head to the side as an owl would.

“It’s an old tradition,” Dean said. “My mum and dad would bring me and my brother here ever Christmas, and we would light a candle each and put it on this bush,” he turned his attention back to them.  Castiel moved closer and sat next to the boy, the exposed skin of his legs kept off the blanket of snow covering the grass.

“Why are you here by yourself?” He hugged his knees to his chest, realising he should have put a jacket on.

“My mum died a few years ago,” replied Dean. “My dad didn’t want to keep doing this because it made him sad. And my brother is a little too young to remember, and I don’t want to bring him out here into the cold.” He looked at the dark haired boy, noticing the cold shiver run though him as he curled into a ball. “You’re cold too,” he said. Castiel shook his head. Dean peeled off his jacket, leaning over to drape it over the smaller boy’s shoulders and ignoring his rejections.

“I’m sorry.” Castiel pulled the jacket closer together, realising he did need it. “I don’t have a mum, either. I never met her.” He looked at Dean with a small smile to show they were kind of in the same boat. The two boys sat there a little longer, watching as the candles slowly shrank while the small flames continued to dance. Glancing back at the green eyed boy, Castiel shifted closer and moved the jacket so it was over both of their shoulders as they huddled together for warmth.

“Thank you for sitting with me,” Dean whispered. “I don’t like doing this alone.” Castiel wrapped an arm around his friend’s shoulders in a comforting hug, gently wiping away a renegade tear from Dean’s cheek.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to be alone anymore,” Castiel smiled.

**13 Years Later**

 “Do you have the candles?” Dean pulled out two tall white candles and a lighter, handing one to Castiel as he moved toward the bush. Once lit, the two boys sat their candles onto the candleholders clipped to the bush, sitting on the blanket they remembered to bring this time. After a minute, Dean’s phone buzzed.

“Hey look, Sam sent us a picture of his.” He held up his phone, showing Castiel the photo of another two candles sitting in a bush.

“I’m glad he and Jess are keeping the tradition too,” he smiled. “Maybe we can have a family of our own and do it with them?”

“Yeah,” Dean leaned in closer to Castiel’s face. “I like the sound of that.” He nodded in approval, sealing the deal with a gentle kiss.


End file.
